Feeder



Feb. 26, 1929. v 1,703,805

0. w. WITHAM FEEDER Filed July 1926 2'5 9 p, Fitham/ If v INVENTOR WITNESS:

- ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID WILLIAM WITHA M, OF TOLEDO, IOWA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FRANK AIMIL UGHYTIL, OF TOLEDO, IOWA.

Application filed July 2, 1926. Serial No. 120,144.

This invention relates to feeders espe-, cially designed for feeding poultry,an object being to provide a normally closed feed container or hopper which will be automatically opened'by the weight of a chicken so that thelatter may have ready access to the feed, and automatically closed when relieved of the weight of the chicken so that the feed within the hopper or container will be kept in a clean and sanitary manner.

With the aboveand other objects in view,

the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim. I

In the drawings V Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feeder constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same with the feeder closed.

Figure 3 is a section showing the feeder open.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates a hopper or container which may be provided with an open top adapted to'be closed by a lid 11, whereby access may be had to the interior of the hopper for the insertion of feed 12. The cover 11 is hinged to a permanent to 3 tion is an inwardly inclined front wall 14 whose lower edge terminates short of the botportion 13 and extendingi downwardly rom this permanent top porspace between the front wall 15 of thein- Pivotally secured to the opposite sides of the hopper as shown at 20 are the inner ends of bars 21. These bars are connected by slats 22 and the latter carry a strip 23. The inner end of this strip bears upon an arm 24 which is secured to and projects from the lid 17.

Normally, the lid is closed as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings and the platform formed by the slats 22' is yieldingly held elevated by springs 25 which connect the bars 21 with the hopper. When the weight of a chicken rests upon the platform, thelatter will be depressed, downward movement of the When theplatform is fully depressed, the

as; V

lid 17 will be thrown outward a sufiicient dis tance so that the chicken may have'ready access to the feed within the trough 16.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions andminor details of construction and the right is herein, reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention what is claimed is In a poultry feeder, a feed trough, a nor mally closed 11d hingedly mounted thereon, a pivotally mounted platform, means to yieldingly hold the platform normally elevated, and means extending from the lid and located in the path of downward movement of the platformto open the trough and swing said lid outward into the path of upward movement of the platform.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DAVID WILLIAM WI'I'HAM. 

